Looking for a creative way to help teach your preschooler how to read and write their name? This lift-the-flap name craft is a fun learning project to do with your child. Even before young children can read and write independently, they can explore the letter shapes and sounds through name games, art, and of course, lots of reading together!
Many preschoolers are curious about the alphabet, noticing letters all around them. A child’s name is a great way to connect with letters in a meaningful way. Names are special!
Lift-the-Flap Name Craft for Preschoolers
This name craft is perfect for some quality parent-child time. My three-year-old is not super-crafty, but he really enjoyed working on this project with me. While you are drawing and adding stickers, talk about the letters and their shapes and practice making the letter sounds together.
Supplies:
- a large sheet of white construction paper or drawing paper (12″x18″)
- oil pastels or crayons
- watercolor paints and brush
- a variety of stickers
- ruler
- scissors
Instructions:
Fold the paper in half, and use a ruler to divide the paper into sections. Then, with the fold at the top, make one section for each letter in your child’s name, and write the letters with oil pastels or crayons. I wrote the letters for my three-year-old, but your kiddos can trace or write their names if they are able. My little guy chose the colors and we talked about the shape of each letter as I wrote it.
Paint over the letters with watercolors and let dry. You might notice in the photo that I have the black paint well covered with a piece of tape. Sometimes, my three-year-old gets frustrated if the black paint mixes with the other colors and makes all his colors look “yucky.” The tape is a simple solution for us, when needed!
When the paper is dry, cut between the letters to make flaps. Remember, only cut through the top layer of paper!
Under each flap, add drawings, stickers, and pictures of things that start with each letter in your child’s name. Thanks to two big sisters, we are lucky to have a large collection of hand-me-down stickers. Henry helped me choose stickers and put them on the paper himself, which is excellent fine motor work, too. If you don’t have a big variety of stickers, you can draw your own pictures or print pictures to glue on your artwork.
We did not finish this whole project in one sitting. Instead, we worked on one letter at a time, practicing its sound and choosing some fun stickers to add to each flap. This activity engaged my preschooler for about 10 minutes at a time – short and sweet! He loves to “read” this with me now, telling me all about his special name letters and the fun stickers we chose.
Even more fun with names:
- Name Tracing – colorful fun for new writers
- Illustrated Names – cool project for the big kids!
- Doodle Names – relaxing coloring for the whole family
*originally posted on 8/14/17
